Farmers can sign up for Canandaigua Livestock Exchange tour April 1 and 2

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - 8:48 am

Northern New York livestock producers can register for a Cornell Cooperative Extension two-day learning trip to New York’s largest independently owned livestock sales center, the Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange in Canandaigua, April 1 and 2.

The group will visit the exchange for its Saturday, April 2 sale and will meet with Sales Manager Ron Parker.

Parker will show the North Country producers the modern facilities at the Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange that allow consigned animals to be penned separately and not comingled with cattle from other farms. Cattle are sold in groups of 8-15 animals at one time which attracts buyers and sellers, Parker says.

Parker says, “We have a strong buyer base and a selling style that attracts buyers from all over – from Vermont to Oklahoma over – and we already sell quite a few cattle from the North Country here.”

The tour also includes a stop at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua to see the test kitchen, restaurant, theater and other facilities for developing and promoting New York wine and food products.

A potluck dinner meeting with the Seneca Beef Producers in Ovid is planned for Friday evening.

The cost of the tour is $99 per room plus $20 per person for van transportation from Canton. Payment ahead of time is requested. For info and reservations, call Betsy Hodge at CCE of St. Lawrence County at 379-9192.